Spring in Iowa means planting fields and gardens, outdoor recreation, warm days, cool nights and, as a reminder from the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH), it also means the start of tick season. IDPH encourages Iowans to enjoy the many opportunities to be active outdoors, while remembering to protect against ticks. Ticks can carry the organisms that cause Lyme disease (the most common tick-borne disease), Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Ehrlichiosis. In 2014, there were 194 confirmed and probable cases of Lyme disease in Iowa; so far this year, there have been two cases.

IDPH Public Health Veterinarian & Deputy State Epidemiologist, Dr. Ann Garvey says “The best way to prevent tick bites is to avoid wooded and tall grassy areas, where ticks are usually found.”. If you do spend time in these areas:

• Wear long-sleeved shirts and long, light-colored pants tucked into socks or boots.
• Stay on trails when walking or hiking and avoid high grass.
• Use insect repellants that contain DEET. Read and follow the label directions for application (DEET is not recommended for use on children under 2 months of age.)
• Check yourself, your children and your pets for ticks as soon as you get back home. Ticks tend to prefer the back of the knee, armpit, scalp, groin, and back of the neck.

Not everyone who gets Lyme disease will have the same symptoms, but the best and earliest sign of infection is a rash that may appear within a few days to a month, usually at the site of the tick bite. The rash will first look like a small, red bump, then expand until it begins to look like a bull’s eye, with a red center and a red ring surrounding a clear area. It is important to contact your health care provider immediately if you develop this type of rash.

The Iowa State University Medical Entomology laboratory conducts tick surveillance across the state and encourages Iowans to send in tick samples for identification. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/1F5Zloa or call 515-294-0581. To learn more about Lyme disease, visit http://bit.ly/1FPGoEN.